Determined
by Neecie2023
Summary: Rating due to language. My version of the possible events for episode 2.9. Spoilers based on episode 2.8 ad 2.9 promo.


**Here goes, my version of what may happen in episode 2.9. I own nothing and am sure that Sorkin will find more brilliant way, but hopefully with the same outcome (i.e. Will and Mac working things out)!**

**I apologize if there are mistakes, I actually wrote this on my BB on the train. I have also taken a few creative licenses, I doubt Will would have an hour break on election night, but well...**

**Reviews are very much appreciated!**

During an hour long break in the election night coverage when ACN turned it over to local election night coverage for updates, Will finds Charlie in his office. "Any luck with Reese or Leona?" Will with a desperate almost pained look on his face.

"She refuses to budge on this, Reese wants us out...no big shocker there, but she won't do it," Charlie says with the same pained look on his face. "We are fucked my friend," he continued sadly.

"I fired Mac," Will says sharply looking down to hide the pained look on his face as he said it.

Charlie grins quickly nodding, "how did she get you to do it? She must have laid some pretty low punches? I never thought she'd have the guts to go through with it or that you'd buy it."

Will looks confused, "what the fuck are you talking about?"

"She's a good woman, Will," Charlie says almost half smiling.

"Have you lost it old man?"

"Will, you don't get it do you, you've been played or maybe produced is the right word."

"What?"

"Mac didn't want us to go down; she needed to get fired so she could save you, save us, save the show. She came to me with this idea that if she got fired, it would weaken Jerry fucking Dantana's case and that she would then tell whoever would listen, other news shows, reporters, any media outlet she could that you and I had no way of knowing any of the holes in the story, she would publicly take all responsibility to save our asses and our credibility. But, I told her it would never work, I couldn't fire her even if I wanted to and I said that there was no way in hell you'd ever let her ruin her career like that."

"Are you fucking serious?"

"She's a good woman, Will."

"The best," Will looks with almost tears in his eyes.

Both men are silent, the two men who typically drink all their sorrows away just stand there sober as can be just silent and sad at the state of everything.

"I have to find her," Will says suddenly after taking in all that was said.

"It won't matter now, you've fired her, and she's going to go through with it now." After a long pause, Charlie continues, "You know, all my years in journalism and I have never seen a team like she's built here. And yet it only took one fucking idiot to ruin the whole thing."

"I'm going to find her and I'm going to put a stop to this," Will says with fire in his eyes.

"Will, she's doing this because she loves you, Mac is one of the strongest and most stubborn people I know, she's not going to change her mind on this, she is convinced that she can save your credibility. She's made up her mind to do this for you, for us really. You know how Mac gets when she believes in something."

"She'll move heaven and earth to see it through, I know. Just like her coming here quoting Don Quixote...Fucking Dulcinea. I have to find her, I have to try to convince her-"

Charlie suddenly cutting him off, "Will, just a fucking second...wait just a fucking second." Something about the Don Quixote reference sparked something in him. "That's it! I have an idea...I can't believe that I didn't fucking think of this earlier."

"What?"

"We can fix this Will, without having Mac's career ruined, we just might fucking be able to fix this!" Charlie was almost jumping I'm excitement. He stops suddenly, "we have to find Mac before she convinces Reese on her plan. Let's go, we need to find her fast."

xxx

Charlie goes to the control room to find Mac, but she is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Will is in the bullpen yelling her name and asking everyone if they know where she is. "Jim, have you seen Mac?"

"30 minutes and no, but someone said she was with the Rebecca," Jim responds.

"Will. She's not in the control room," Charlie comes around the corner.

"She's with Rebecca, let's go," Will says as he is already on his way to the elevator.

The two barge into Rebecca's office. Mac is sitting across from her, they are deep on conversation.

"Excuse me gentleman, you can't just barge into my office."

"Mac don't say another word," Will demands.

"It's too late gentleman, Mac's already filled me in," Rebecca says sternly. "I can honestly say in all my years of cleaning up people's messes, and I have cleaned a lot of shit, have I ever seen so many people willing to take the hit with no ulterior motive than to save the rest of the team." Rebecca looks straight at Will as she continues, "and her, I mean I knew you had history, but seriously what is it between you?"

"Rebecca, would you mind of he just had a moment," Mac asks sheepishly, everyone knowing that she means Will.

"Sure."

"Rebecca, I need to run something by you immediately," Charlie says walking Rebecca out of the room.

Once the door is closed, Will turns to Mac, she stands up to face him, but doesn't directly look in his eyes.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing Mac?"

"Billy listen, hear me out, just please hear me out, this is important." Mac looks straight into his eyes, hoping that he will let her explain.

Mackenzie not taking her eyes off his, "first, I'm sorry for the things that I said earlier. You were not a good boyfriend Billy, you were the best boyfriend. And I never thought that you were a dick, not for one second." With tears starting to fall, she continues, "I knew the reason you wouldn't fire me wasn't because of your image, the thought didn't even cross my mind, well until I spent all night thinking of ways to get you to fire me. I'm sorry, if there was any other way to get fired, I would have done it."

"Why the fuck would you ruin your career over this, this is not your fault."

"Billy, because I love our show, because I love our team, and most of all because I love you. I love you more than anything in the world and everyday I have to live with the fact that I ruined your personal life, I broke your heart. There is no way that I could live knowing that I would be the reason that your career was ruined too." Tears are now streaming down her face.

Will walks closer, he gently wipes the tears from her cheeks. "I want you to listen to me now, very carefully." Mac nods and Will rest his hands on her shoulders. "You are 100% not responsible for this. You are 100% unfired."

"No Will, let me do this," she almost begs.

"No, hear me out," Will demands. "First, Charlie has figured out a way to fix this without you having to ruin your career, and most importantly because I love you Mackenzie and I don't want to do our show without you."

Mac let's out a quiet sob, she is so close to breaking with the lack of sleep, stress, and now overwhelmed with the sudden emotions. Will pulls her in, as close as he can hold her. They stand there for a long moment until Will pulls away enough to take here head in his hands and kiss her gently. The kiss is soft and loving and it doesn't take Mac long to start kissing back. Mac pulls away gently and pulls him close into another embrace.

There's a quick knock at the door and they pull apart quickly. Tess sticks her head in, "5 minutes until we are back" Tess says quickly and leaves.

Will steps forward and takes Mac's hands in his. "Mac, will you finish our show with me?"

"I'd love to," she says with a small smile on her face.

"And then, we are going to find out the details of Charlie's plan and then I am taking you home. I want to hold you until we can both just sleep."

"Sounds perfect, Billy."

With another quick kiss, they left Rebecca's office, Will holding her hand tightly the entire way.


End file.
